January 15, 2024
CALL TO ORDER
PRESENT
VISITORS
Council in regular session was called to order at 7:00 p.m. in council chambers. President Mitcho presiding.
Gregg Mitcho, President Jeanne Miller, Vice President Robert “Doc” Orr
Jim Simonelli Doug Wright Tim Knapp George Drushel
Robert Stubenbort, Borough Manager Peter Burton, Mayor
Joseph Yochim, Solicitor Mark Corey, Engineer
Kevin Rafferty, Chief of Police Officer Ryan Zuern
Dennis McDonald, Public Works Supervisor
Ginger Cinti, Lake City Council
Mary Gollmer, Lake City Council President
Larry Russell
Shirley Hall
Laura DiPasqua-Grappy Patrick Traut
President Mitcho welcomed newly sworn in Councilmember George Drushel.
MINUTES Motion by Councilmember Wright to approve the Januaiy 8, 2023 special
council meeting minutes. Seconded by Councilmember Simonelli. All in favor. Motion carried.
BILLS Councilmember Wright asked Engineer Mark Corey if his bill consisted of the work completed for the Pine Tree Drive Storm Project. Mr. Corey agreed. Motion by Councilmember Knapp to approve payment of the bills. Seconded by Councilmember Simonelli. All in favor. Motion carried.
COMMUNITY REPORTS The Planning Commission respectfully recommend passage of Patrick
Trauts property unification / subdivision plan. This plan has also been approved by the Erie County Planning Department. Patrick Traut spoke on behalf of his request. Motion made by Councilmember Wright to accept the recommendation made by the Planning Commission.
Seconded by Councilmember Orr. All in favor. Motion caiTicd.
ORDINANCE 753
Misc.
MAYOR/POLICE
RESOLUTION 1/1/2024
RESOLUTION 2/1/2024
RESOLUTION 3/1/2024
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOROUGH OF GIRARD, ERIE COUNTY,PENNSYLVANIA, VACATING AND ABANDONING ORCHARD STREET IN THE BOROUGH OF GIRARD, ERIE
COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. Motion made by Councilmember Wright to approve Ordinance 753. Seconded by Councilmember Simonelli. All in favor. Motion carried.
President Mitcho reminded everyone that the Council Meetings are electronically recorded.
Mayor Burton said that the sign at the vape shop at Myrtle and Main Street is blinking. Chief Rafferty said that one of the candidates from the Civil Service list turned down employment with the borough because they were offered full time with another department. In the last two more part timers have handed in their resignations. Chief Rafferty believes that recruitment is way down nationwide for law enforcement. Girard is the last police department that relies on part time officers to fill in patrol shifts and it is becoming impossible to compete for part time officers.
Normally Girard would have 5 to 7 part time officers and currently there is only one. There were three officers on the new hiring list one has been offered a full-time position and that leaves us with two. “I request the opportunity to sit down with the Personnel Committee, but I do not see it getting any better.” On the newest list two of the three were out of the last academy class and the next academy class has not started yet. It will be more than six months before new recruits are coming out of the academy. Of the last four tests we have had one applicant three times and three applicants on the last one. Chief Rafferty said that at this rate he believes it will be years before he can fill the part lime positions. It’s a two-month process to get them certified to work on their own and then they leave two weeks later. Chief Rafferty believes that more full-lime officers would resolve this and that the part time could be eliminated.
This resolution will formally appoint George Drushel as a Councilmember to the open two-year council seat. Motion made by Councilmember Knapp to approve Resolution 1/1/2024. Seconded by Councilmember Simonelli. Voting in favor Councilmember Knapp, Simonelli, Wright, Drushel, Miller, and Mitcho. Voting against Councilmember Orr. Motion carried.
A resolution adopting rules of decorum for public meetings. Motion made by Councilmember Simonelli to approve Resolution 2/1/2024. Council discussed the resolution. Second by Councilmember Knapp. Motion carried.
A resolution authoring the execution of the 2021t CPPG Power Participation Schedule. Motion made by Councilmember Simonelli to
approve Resolution3/l/2024. Seconded by Councilmember Orr. All in favor. Motion carried.
RESOLUTION 4/1/2024
RESOLUTION 5/1/2024
PSAB MEETING
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
STATE ETHICS FORMS
GIRARD POOL
AMP UPDATE
Resolution 4-1-2024 Council is asked to accept liquid fuels money totaling
$l l l ,81t3.l 7 to be used for various road surfacing projects in 2024,, The break down for the total is as follows:
Liquid Fuels Act 655 money is $102,395.17 Turnback Act 32 money is $ 2,880.00 County Liquid Fuels money is(+-) $ 6,568.00
Motion made by Councilmember Drushel to approve Resolution 4/1/2024. Seconded by Councilmember Miller. All in favor. Motion carried.
Appointing Robert A. Stubenbort as an alternate for Couneilmember Wright, to the West County Paramedics. Motion made by Councilmember Simonelli to approve Resolution 5/1/2024. Seconded by Councilmember Wright. All in favor. Motion carried. Council discussed ongoing issues ·with the West County Ambulance Sen1ice Board.
The PSAB Annual Conference will be held ]une 2-5, 2024 in Hershey. If
Council members are planning to attend, please let me know.
President Mitcho distributed a list of committees and the Councilmembers assigned to each committee. President Mitcho discussed the committee assignments and made changes based on input from the council. Vice President Miller mentioned that the Recreation Board has walking Tuesday and Wednesday from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Elisa Wolfe has painting classes coming up. Swim Lessons are also coming up. The Recreation Board has a Face Book page with all of the upcoming activities listed. Vice President Miller mentioned that the West County Communications Center water leal-. damage resulted in new carpet. The West County Communications Center is now eligible to apply for grants. President Mitcho mentioned that February 17th is the A. F. Dobler annual awards banquet.
Completed State Ethics Forms can be turned into to the borough office.
The rates for the Girard Borough Pool were discussed. Council agreed to bring that discussion up at a later elate.
The Ameriecm Municipal Power annual portfolio update is scheduled for January 24, 2024 at 10:30 am in Council Chambers.
WATERWORKS PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN
SIDEWALK ISSUES
PINE TREE DRIVE STORM WATER PROJECT
PROJECTS
CONSTABLE
HISTORY WALK
COUNCIL COMMENTS
State Forester Steve Laskowski has completed the management plan for Water Works Park. The Council Committee agreed to meet with Steve to talk about the plan and formulate the next steps. The committee agreed to have Mickey Curran join the meeting to talk about new trails installation.
The current Girard Borough Sidewalk program allows for reimbursement of $30.00 per square up to 4 square or a max of $120.00. Would Council consider trying $30.00 per square up to 10 square for the 2024 program? Motion made by Councilmember Simonelli to approve $30.00 per square up to 10 square per household and up to $30,000.00 for the 2024.
Seconded by Councilmember Wright. All in favor. Motion carried.
I respectfully request that Council approve pay estimate No. 1 submitted by Chivers Construction for the Pine Tree Drive Project. The project was postponed until a natural gas line can be relocated. Motion made by Councilmember Simonelli to approve pay estimate No 1 to Chivers Construction for $69,795.22. Seconded by Councilmember Wright. All in favor. Motion carried.
Borough Manager Stubenbort spoke with Council about the following 2024 projects:
• Hathaway and West Gate water storage projects will go out for bid.
• Trickling Panel Project at WWTP
• Reed Bed clean out at WWTP (4,)
• Pool filter and water heater replacement project
Shawn Bolt will be our appointed Girard Borough Constable. Shawn will appear before Judge Joe Walsh for swearing in on January 22nd.
Stephar1ie Wincik may offer a history walk this summer (with no ghost stories!) to see if there’s any interest. It would be along Main Street through the historic district then over to the Universalist Church to talk about the Underground Railroad. The church has agreed to have someone there to open the building so the folks can go inside. The dates and times are to be announced.
Councilmember Drushel said that he would like to see the borough hire a code enforcement officer. Vice President Miller said that Dan Rice Days will feature a bike tour of Dan Rice places in the borough on Friday August 2, 2024 at 6:00 pm.
President Mitcho reminded council that the Erie County Association of Boroughs Meeting is Janua1y 18, 2024 at the Waterford Legion. The Girard Lake City Chamber meetings are the first Wednesday of every month. The Erie Area Coalition of Governments is in need of a council representative. Councilmember Wright was assigned to represent Girard Borough at the EACOG meetings. Councilmember Simonelli thanked Mr. McDonald for the great job the Public Works Department did during the windstorm and the timely restoration of power to our community.
Meeting adjourned at 8:46 p.m. for a five-minute break before going into executive session.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
REGULAR MEETING
PERSONNEL
At 8:53 p.m., President Mitcho asked for an executive session to discuss personnel and legal matters.
The regular meeting was called back into session at 9:22 p.m.
Motion by Councilmember Wright to approve the resignation of Part Time Officers Ed Podpora and Leland Montgome1y. Seconded by Countilmember Knapp. All in favor. Motion carried.
Motion by Councilmember Simonelli to approve a 4.5% salary increase for Police Chief Kevin Rafferty. Seconded by Councilmember Drushel. All in favor. Motion carried.
ADJOURN Motion by Councilmember Orr made seconded by Councilmember Simonelli lo adjourn at 9:25 p.m. All in favor.
Robert A. Stubenbort Borough Manager